Reading Recs

Born to teenage parents, Jim Abbott grew up to have the classic "pitcher's" build-- he was 6'3", 200 lbs. and solid muscle-- except for one thing: his right arm ended where the wrist should be. How improbable was it that he made it to the major leagues at all? And how spectacular that on September 4, 1993 he pitched a no-hitter for the New York Yankees against the Cleveland Indians. ~Pat Willingham, Kent Library

While looking for fruit one night, a young bat named Stellaluna gets separated from her mother. She is adopted by the family of birds into whose nest she falls, and our nocturnal heroine must learn new avian ways. After learning to eat bugs, sleep upright, and land like her bird brethren she is unexpectedly reunited with her bat mother.
Stellaluna is often described as a book about a lost bat finding her way home. While accurate, to me this book is much more about acceptance, understanding, and finding one’s tribe. May we all be a bit more like Stellaluna, accepting of our similarities, while embracing our differences. ~Liz Rudloff, Kent Library

Haunted house, ghost story, and murder mystery combined. Keep the lights on when you read this one! ~Karie Stroder, Academic Advising

Did you know that bat spit could dissolve blood clots in stroke victims? Did you know that honey is actually bee barf. This wonderfully grotesque children's book discusses several "Nasty (but useful!)" remedies used in modern (Yes, I said modern) science. Other nasties discussed are maggots, leeches, and poop. Excellent book for those that like gross science. Caution: Some images in book could be quite disturbing. ~Leah McAlister, Kent Library

Die Fledermaus (German: “The Bat”), by Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899) is the third and most widely-performed operettas composed by Strauss, Jr. The libretto, written by Karl Haffner and Richard Genee, is based on the period vaudeville comedy Le Reveillon by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halevy. Their inspiration was the play Das Gefangnis (German: “The Prison”), written in 1851. Die Fledermaus premiered on April 5, 1874 in Vienna, Austria to a rousing audience reception despite critics initial rebuke due to their consideration of the operetta’s premise - a practical joke run amok – to be “scandalous.” ~Brad Reel, Kent Library

This book is the first in a series by Neal Shusterman, and it's the perfect book for the spooky season. In this world, humans have achieved immortality, but in order to keep the population maintained, a group of individuals are trained to become Scythes, who are responsible for gleaning (killing) others. For me, Scythe is inextricable from Halloween and the spooky season. ~Kendall Tracey, Class of '22

Bats have gotten negative publicity this year. However, The Bat Book explores the amazing abilities of these animals and how they are essential for the health of us and our environment. Bats pollinate our food (including chocolate!), manage insect populations, and aid in reforestation. Discover how a bat's hand operates, the largest bat colony of over 20 million, and what you can do to help the bats. ~Stephanie Hallam, Kent Library

Sarah Waters' The Little Stranger is a subtly spooky book that will leave you clutching your covers and glancing over your shoulder. The novel takes place in a once-grand and now-gloomy mansion and explores the British class system amidst a backdrop of ghostly occurrences and creepy encounters. This gothic novel is the perfect read to set the mood for October! ~Stephanie Hayes, Kent Library